Senate Republicans used a filibuster to block a confirmation vote Thursday on Chuck Hagel, President Obama’s nominee for defense secretary. Harry Reid, the Senate’s Democratic leader, said it was the first time a nominee for the Pentagon’s top job had been filibustered. Democrats control 55 votes in the Senate, more than the majority that would be needed to confirm Hagel, but not the 60 votes needed to prevent a minority from blocking an up-or-down tally. Republicans said they were holding up Hagel’s confirmation because the Obama administration was refusing to release more information on the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Democrats said Republicans were just looking for excuses to continue the GOP’s strategy of obstruction. Have Republicans been abusing the filibuster? Or should Democrats be blamed for pushing nominees and proposals that don’t have enough bipartisan support to pass? Talk about it!